Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care at Baptist Health is a Christian service ministry dedicated to serving the needs of patients, families, staff, and the wider community. We are committed to offering compassionate spiritual care and emotional support as resources for healing. Jesus Christ is our example and model of ministry to each individual we encounter.

We also provide quality education for our pastoral care providers through our Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program as well as through educational in-services and trainings. See below for further CPE information.

How Can We Assist You?

A Chaplain is available 24 hours a day. If you would like to share a prayer request, or if you need other assistance, please contact us through one of the following methods:

Meet the Pastoral Care Staff

Josh Brown, Staff ChaplainChaplain Brown began working with Baptist Health in 2013. He holds a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Assemblies of God University, Waxahachie, TX and is pursuing his Doctorate of Ministry degree at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is also a bi-vocational pastor at Thousand Hills Baptist Church, Little Rock, AR. Josh and his wife, Rachel, have three children.

Dr. Kay Hardin, D.Min—Senior ChaplainDr. Hardin has been a chaplain with Baptist Health since 1994. She holds a Doctorate of Ministry in Spiritual Formation from Asbury Theological Seminary as well as additional degrees from Belmont University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to chaplaincy she was assistant editor for “The Student” magazine at LifeWay Publishing and then became associate director of the Baptist Student Ministry at Baylor University.

Rusty Howard, Chaplain AssociateChaplain Howard began working with Baptist Health in 1997. He holds an Associate of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Rusty is married and has two daughters and three grandchildren.

Caleb Lewis, Staff ChaplainChaplain Lewis has been with Baptist Health since 2015. He graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with an MDiv and is pursuing his Doctorate of Ministry degree at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to that that he was a chaplain with the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System and worked on a grant with the South Central Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center. He is also a bi-vocational pastor at Anchor Baptist Church in Brown Springs, Arkansas. Caleb is married to Brooke and they have two sons.

Robert McDaniel, Chaplain AssociateChaplain McDaniel has been with Baptist Health since 2004. He has pastored numerous churches for over 50 years. He is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is married to Nancy (56.5 years and counting), and they have four children, ten grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Michael Rogers, certified Association of Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) EducatorChaplain Rogers has been with Baptist Health since 2019. He is a native South Carolinian. Michael graduated with a B.A. degree in Pastoral Ministries and Bible from Columbia International University, Columbia, SC and a Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, TX. He is ABD status for his Doctorate of Ministry in Transformative Leadership from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Rochester, NY.

Michael is endorsed by the North American Mission Board (Southern Baptist) and duly aligned with the National Baptist. He became an ACPE certified educator November, 2018. Michael has also served as Senior Pastor, assistant pastor, and as an adjunct religious instructor. Michael is an accomplished organist and loves listening to music. In addition he is an avid sports fan. He enjoys spending time with his family–Teresa Rogers, his wife of 14 years, and their beautiful daughter, Michaela.

Monty Self, Senior ChaplainChaplain Self has earned degrees from Ouachita Baptist University and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been in ministry for over 27 years serving as a pastor, professor, and hospital chaplain. Prior to joining the pastoral care staff in 2006, he served as the Associate Academic Dean at the Kiev Theological Seminary. Monty is married with children.

Our Clinical Pastoral Education Program

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock was a pioneer in the Clinical Pastoral Education movement in the mid 1960’s, and since 2010, has been a fully-accredited center with the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education.

Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is an intensive experiential educational program for those interested in developing their clinical/pastoral skills. Students engage in pastoral ministry and reflect on their experience with an ACPE Certified Educator and a peer group. Key areas for learning include integrating theology into pastoral practice, increasing personal and spiritual formation as a religious leader, and developing self-reflection for deeper growth and knowledge. CPE can be an excellent tool for discernment, self-care and renewal.

Clinical Pastoral Education is the only chaplaincy training program that opens the door for Board Certification as a chaplain by the Association of Professional Chaplains. Each unit of CPE is 400 hours, and in the year-long residency, students earn four units of CPE.

The CPE Residency at Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock

Interviews for the resident positions begin in January each year for the program that starts in late August. The program consists of a one-year, full-time CPE Residency program from August through August. For exact dates, please contact our center. (Numbers and emails listed above.)

Benefits currently include:Stipend of $24,000 for the year; competitive health and dental insurance with an option to purchase family coverage; life insurance; earned personal time off, and the other benefits which employees of Baptist Health enjoy.

How to Apply:The application and instructions can be found at ACPE.EDU under the drop-down Resources tab and then forms. Email your intentions to apply along with the completed application materials to Chaplain Josh Brown at Joshua.Brown@baptist-health.org. At this time, there is no application fee or tuition for the chaplain residency program at Baptist Health. Previous CPE is not necessary. We do require an accredited college degree. Most applicants to our CPE program hold a Masters Degree in Divinity or its equivalent. We have, on special occasions, accepted students who are in the process of attaining their advanced degrees. If you have questions, please contact Chaplain Josh Brown at (501) 202-2569 or at the above email addresses.